Corazon Week
by StarBlazer124
Summary: With his birthday fast approaching, an entire viral community gathers to celebrate his life. My submissions for the #CorazonWeek project on tumblr. Will be updated everyday from July 9th through July 15th.
1. Day 1 Donxiquote Family

"Yuck! This tea's already cold, you idiot! Go back and make me another!" The slave knelt at the blond boy's feet, wincing as the cup was thrown against his head. The china shattered and scraped against his scalp as warm liquid soaked his hair. His young master stopped his tantrum momentarily to glance up at the doorway where another blond stood. "Bring my brother a cup as well, servant." With a wave of his small hand, he dismissed the slave, who sprinted back to the kitchen. Doflamingo smirked triumphantly. The fear he could inspire with just a few words was empowering beyond belief.

"Doffy?" a soft voice whimpered from the doorway. The youngest Donxiquote shuffled closer to his older brother's side, but tripped on the skirt of his clothes at the last moment. "Wah!" Tiny arms flailed around desperately; trying to find anything he could grab to steady himself. Instead, the boy flew forward and straight into the elder's chest. Doflamingo's laughter rumbled like thunder in his ear that had pressed itself against him.

Gripping his brother by the waist, Doflamingo stopped the clumsy descent. "You should really comb your hair out of your eyes, Roci. Maybe you wouldn't fall so much then." His clothes became balled up where the younger boy's fingers clutched at the fabric and the messy mop of blond hair nuzzled against him. This confused Doflamingo because it usually meant his brother was hiding from something he was afraid of. "Roci? What's wrong?"

"Doffy…why are you always so mean to the servants?"

Blinking behind his sunglasses, Doflamingo tilted his head slightly in thought. "Why shouldn't I?" he asked.

Roci's shrugged shyly. "I don't know. It just doesn't seem nice. They're trying their best."

"Their best isn't good enough. Their only purpose in this world is to serve us and if they can't accomplish that, then they're useless." Prying his brother off of him, Doffy pushed the younger one's bangs out of his eyes and allowed his glasses to slide down his nose somewhat. Sharp, blue eyes met gentle, brown eyes. "Roci, we're Celestial Dragons. Do you know what that means?" The boy shook his head. "It means we're destined to have all the privileges the world can provide us. Our noble blood places us higher than the commoners outside of Mariejois and grants us the freedom to do whatever we please. Those fools we call slaves should be grateful to serve such heavenly beings." The brothers remained still for a moment, staring at each other with great intensity.

"Boys! Are you in here?" a soft voice called.

"Mother!" Roci beamed with excitement. He pulled away from the bespectacled boy and ran towards the door, crashing into the woman's legs as she rounded the corner.

"Oh! Roci, Doffy, there you are! Are you two getting along like good boys?" She flashed both a kind smile, while still managing to give her oldest a look that spoke of authority. It was a look he'd gotten many times before whenever he was too rough or mean with his baby brother. "I was thinking of taking a stroll around the pond. Would either of you like to join me?"

Roci nodded his head enthusiastically, lifting his arms high toward his mother. With a small giggle, she leaned down and scooped the six year old up. Her eyes flickered up to Doffy, awaiting his response.

"I think I'll stay here and wait for my tea." He turned back to the large chair he had claimed, plopping down with his hands resting behind his head as a makeshift pillow.

"Alright. Your father will be back soon with Saint Rosawald. Once he's back, will you let me know dear?"

Doffy grinned and nodded. "Sure thing."

Satisfied with her son's answer, she and Roci made their way through the large fortress of Mariejois. Sparkling marble halls were soon abandoned for the grassy courtyard's green glow. The water of the pond glistened and koi could be seen swimming in an array of orange, red and white. Mother and son sat down along the water's edge, enjoying the silence.

"Mother, do you think we're better than the slaves?" Roci suddenly asked. His earlier hesitation had dissipated in the safety of his mother's lap. "Doffy told me we're supposed to get everything because we're Dragons, but Father says that we're still human like the people outside. I'm so confused."

The woman hummed softly, running her silky fingers through the curls of his hair. His confusion was understandable. Despite being father and son, Homing and Doffy had severely different outlooks on their lifestyle. It had spawned some frustrations in Doffy, making him more temperamental than usual. She could only hope it was his age. "Well Roci, I believe that people should be judged by their actions," she explained. "If a man is cruel and uncaring to the people around him, for example, I would not see him highly. If he were kind and sympathetic to the pain of those around him, however, I believe he is truly a man worthy of life's joys."

The little boy gazed at her in awe. "Do you think I can be that type of man, Mother?"

"That's up to you, but if I had to guess…" she placed a finger to her chin, analyzing the child. He wiggled around anxiously, happy to hear his mother's judgement. "Hmm," she hummed again. Suddenly, her finger shifted from her chin to lightly poke his small nose. "I have a feeling you'll be a wonderful man."

"Yay!" He hugged her as tight as he could, relishing in the scent of her lavender perfume and the feel of her hand brushing against his cheek. In the distance, he could hear the loud cries of his brother and the chuckling of his father as they drew closer. Everything seemed too far away to matter at the moment. All little Roci could focus on was his mother and the unspoken promise he made to be a kind, loving man someday.


	2. Day 2 Marine Commander Rocinante

Rocinante paced through the hallways, hands stuffed in his uniform's pockets. His fingertips felt the folded paper he'd received earlier in the day and his throat clenched at the thought of its message. 'Lieutenant Commander Donxiquote Rocinante- We are pleased to inform you that, by careful consideration of your recent performance, you are being promoted to the rank of Commander. Please report to your superior officer with any questions you may have. Thank you for your service and congratulations.'

The brief letter was nothing new for the young Marine, as he had been receiving them at a break neck pace since he completed his training. Despite his clumsy mishaps that frequently created havoc, he had completed all of his assignments quickly and effectively. It also didn't hurt to have his mentor be an Admiral. Even before his long, grueling struggle with training, Admiral Sengoku had been teaching him the methods of the most successful Navy men and showing the boy how he handled every order given to him.

Something about this promotion felt different, however. There was still the initial rush of joy and excitement that coursed through his system, but instead of that glee lasting for several days, Rocinante now trudged through Navy Headquarters with an air of worry. He scolded himself for his disrespectful demeanor, as not everyone could reach the level of Commander. He should be celebrating with his fellow comrades, especially with Sengoku himself. After every previous promotion, Sengoku had cooked a banquet of food for his adopted son and invited his boisterous partner, Garp, to join the festivities.

"Hey Roci!" a voice hollered behind him, "Got promoted again, eh? Way to go, Lefty!" The cheeky nickname was accompanied by a large smile from the tall, black-haired man.

"Vice Admiral Kuzan, sir!" Rocinante flickered to attention. "Thank you very much, sir!"

Kuzan's sunglasses hid them, but Rocinante was sure that he was rolling his eyes dramatically. Years of gaging his brother's expressions had served the blond well. "Geez, you know you can drop the formalities around me, Roci. I mean I've known you since you were a kid and I'd like to think that eleven years is more than enough time to, uh- you know- oh, never mind." Fluffing up the collar of his jacket, Kuzan nodded to the large wooden doors a few feet away. "Would I be right in guessing that you're here to tell Vice Admiral Garp about the party? He's always telling me about the buffet you guys dish out."

"Yeah, we're having a get together tonight. You can come to if you want. I'm sure Sengoku won't mind." Rocinante prayed the ice man would say yes. His wild stories and banter with Garp were sure to distract him from his own anxieties.

The lazy shrug made him grin. "Eh, sure. I'll tag along. Say, while you're talking to the Vice Admiral…" Kuzan dug into his trench coat, pulling out a manila envelope. "Can you give this to him? It'd save me the trouble." Before he could respond, the blond found the envelope tucked under his arm and Kuzan quickly retreating from the direction he came. "Thanks Lefty!"

"Of course…" Rocinante sighed. He turned towards the door closest to him, hesitating somewhat before knocking.

"Come in," Garp's gruff voice hollered.

A shiver of fear ran down Roci's back. While he had been living under the Marines care for more than half his life, the Vice Admiral still overwhelmed him terribly. The powerful man's name alone was reason to be leery of him, being a carrier of the initial 'D', but his frequent "fists of love" had scarred the new Commander since childhood. Sticking his head into the office, Rocinante braced himself for whatever chaos the older Marine created. "Vice Admiral Garp," he addressed.

"Roci! Good to see you! When's Sengoku starting this shin-ding? He better have plenty of senbei crackers!" Garp's head rolled back and he cackled wildly. "You should keep up with these promotions kid. I don't want the partying to stop!"

Opening his mouth to reply, Rocinante found that he lacked the strength to agree. The comment hit too close to home for his liking. Garp, noticing the silence, observed the teen curiously. "Cat got your tongue, Roci? I thought you liked climbing the Navy ladder."

"O-Oh, I do, sir!"

"Well what's the problem then?" Garp raised an eyebrow as Roci fidgeted in place, still in the doorway. "Get in here and sit down boy." Once the blond sat in the chair in front of his desk, the greying man reached under his desk and slid a small box across. Brown eyes widened in surprise at the cigarettes. "I know Sengoku doesn't approve of you smoking, but you look like you need it. Take a puff and then you can tell me what's on your mind."

In a flash, Rocinante had one of the sticks stuck between his lips and his lighter at the ready. Click. Click. Click. "Damn it," he muttered. Finally, the tiny flame came to life and grazed the cigarette's tip. Smoke swirled around his head, his lungs inhaling the addicting substance. Instantly, the muscles that had knotted up with stress slackened somewhat. It had been months since he had even seen a cigarette, after Sengoku's long lecture about the health risks of such behavior. He made a note to curse the stupid white-haired ensign that had gotten him hooked.

Now in a much calmer state, he lifted his gaze back to Garp. The man was still awake by some miracle and remained patient. "After this promotion, the next rank for me will be captain." The simple statement hung in the air for a moment. "Most of the captains are sent to bases far away from HQ."

"And that doesn't sit well with you?" Garp guessed.

Rocinante shook his head. "It doesn't. As silly as it sounds, the idea of being stationed somewhere else really scares me. I can't imagine not being with you or Kuzan or Admiral Sengoku."

"Not surprising." A bag of rice crackers was held out for the other to take. "You've been living here ever since Sengoku found and adopted you. He and all of the Marines working at Headquarters have become a makeshift family. My boy had similar issues with leaving home when he joined the Navy. Listen, if it's bothering you that much, why don't you request to be assigned to Sengoku's staff?"

"What do you mean, sir?"

"Just tell the old fart what you told me. He can pull some strings and have you as his right-hand man. Bogard's been working under me for years now and the big brass never gave him any trouble about it."

Rocinante dropped the cracker he held. "I never thought about that." A large, dorky smile stretched across his face for the first time since the letter arrived. "That's a fantastic idea!"

"Of course it is! Don't think because that goat bastard teases me that I'm not a clever man, boy!" A large hand extended toward Roci and snatched the envelope from him. "I'll take the report that lazy feather-brain left, so you run along and go talk to your old man, ya hear?"

Rocinante shot up, still radiating with newfound relief. "Yes! Right away! Thank you so much Garp! I'll buy some extra senbei on the way there. Thank you!" He spun around and charged ahead, his foot catching on the chair leg on the way. "I'm okay!"

The door slammed behind the teen. "Heh, what a kid." the Vice Admiral sighed.

 **(A.N. Hope you enjoyed everyone! Next up is Elite Officer Corazon! Woot-woot!)**


	3. Day 3 Elite Officer Corazon

"Cora-san! Your tea's ready!" The giggling eight-year old trotted up to him, holding out a tray. "It's hot," she reminded. Regardless, the elite officer fell backwards, spraying steaming tea like a fountain. "Pff-haha! He burned his tongue!" Baby 5 danced in circles around Corazon, chanting the mistake.

 _Whack!_

The little girl flew across the room with a short scream. Unlike other children her age, she sat up without a word and smiled, unfazed by the blond's slap. Corazon returned to his chair, wishing that she would stop giving him such an innocent grin. It reminded him that she had grown accustomed to his brutal punishments. It reminded him that the sting of his palm no longer bothered him. 'Keep it together,' he calmed himself, 'It's for their own good.' If he weren't worried about remaining silent, he would have laughed at how his thoughts sounded like the Vice Admiral's.

"Cora-san!" Baby 5 chirped.

He tilted his head, indicating he was listening. Baby 5 stood in front of the window, staring down into the metal heaps of the scrapyard. "Law's heading up this way. Should I go tell the Young Master?" Light metallic taps echoed from the approaching footsteps. "He still looks pissed off."

'When is he not?' Corazon mused. It came as no surprise, seeing as how the past three days the uninvited guest had been consistently thrown out the window and back into the broken beams and pipes below the waste plant. Gladius had gotten so annoyed with the sound of glass shattering that the remaining windows were being kept propped open for the officer's convenience.

Pushing the creaking door open, Law glanced around, presumably searching for the captain's flamboyant pink coat. Silver orbs narrowed into a menacing glare once he found black feathers instead. "Corazon…" he growled. Everything about him was painfully nostalgic to the man. The anger and lack of fear that dominated the boy's attitude brought flashes of vengeful screams and smoking guns to Corazon's mind. Part of him wanted to plead with Law to start anew, to not go down the road of misery and destruction that Doflamingo had chosen to create, but he knew his words would mean nothing. The tragedy of White Town had scarred the ten-year old beyond the point of sanity and he would only be stopped by the impending death that fate chose to give him.

The soft fur of Law's hat flattened under Corazon's fingers and he dragged the boy out the door by his head. At the railing, the agent paused a moment from his wind-up to observe his victim. A portion of a white patch was visible across Law's abdomen, nearly blending in with his sickly pale skin. Who would have thought such a small detail would be the cause of so much suffering in a child's life.

Law's cheeks flushed under the scrutiny and placed a hand over the mark to hide it from view. "You're afraid too, aren't you?" he spat.

The boy landed on the floor with a soft thud, blinking up at Corazon warily. This was the first time he hadn't been tossed aside by the executive. Corazon, instead, knelt in front of him, bringing himself near Law's height. He tugged at the raggedy shirt that covered the majority of the lead blotch. The poison was creeping toward Law's waist and beginning to ascend up to his ribs. "What do you think you're- UGH!" Before Law's question could be answered, a tight fist knocked against his discolored side and sent him flying back into the room, knocking him into the table. "What the hell was that about?" he yelled.

"Hey! Hey! Law, did Corazon beat you again?" Trebol eased down from his perch on the outside wall. "He's been clobbering you for the past few days, hasn't he? Hey! Don't you want to leave?" The sticky man detached himself and leaned in close to Corazon. "Hey! Hey! Corazon's being even rougher on you than he usually is with Baby 5 and Buffalo!"

Corazon's nose wrinkled in disgust. Of all three remaining officers, Trebol was the worst to handle. Diamante's insults were easy to tune out, especially with his Devil Fruit ability, and Pica hardly spoke, making him the most tolerable, but Trebol's disregard for personal space made it challenging to ignore him. The goo that oozed off his jacket didn't smell that appealing either. Digging into his back pocket, the blond grabbed his notepad and pen, quickly scribbling something down. "Where's Doffy?" the paper read.

"Doffy's back at the ship! He wanted to talk to you about your recent mission!"

Nodding, Corazon stood and made his way down the twisting staircase. From behind him, he could hear Law shouting the same thing he'd been saying since he met the man. "Don't think I've given up Corazon! I'll get back at you soon!"

"Are you stupid? Just because you're a kid, doesn't mean you can get away with whatever you want!"

"Hey! Hey! Let him get mad! It'll only make him quit sooner!"

Corazon pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache coming on. His fingers snapped and finally silenced the noisy bickering with a soundproof bubble. The ship was docked a little ways East of the waste plant and would provide him a nice, peaceful walk to soothe him. 'How Doffy stands this will always amaze me.'

 **(A.N. This one's a bit shorter than my previous entries, but I felt adding more would only drag on the story and make it dull. Plus, I'm still so overwhelmed with the new episode that it's hard to focus on anything but the White Town tragedy!)**


	4. Day 4 Nagi Nagi no Mi

Corazon's stomach wailed with hunger, urging him to continue through the maze of the ship and to the kitchen. Shadows masked everything in a veil of darkness, creating a series of obstacles for the uncoordinated pirate. Moonlight couldn't reach the inner levels of the vessel and Corazon hadn't brought a lantern for fear of tripping and setting the entire ship on fire. "Ow!" he muttered under his breath. He quickly bit his tongue. He had only been with the Donxiquote Pirates for a few months, so he couldn't risk blowing his cover so soon.

The smooth brass of the kitchen door handle graced his fingers, congratulating him for successfully reaching his destination. Once inside, Corazon made a beeline for the refrigerator, throwing the door open to gaze longingly at the wealth of choices. Various fruits and vegetables created a miniature rainbow and several glass containers held leftovers from the crew's most recent meals. After a couple minutes, Corazon grabbed a small bowl of cold pasta.

He took a couple noodles in his fingers and tasted them; savoring the cool feeling the food gave his burnt tongue. With a shove of his shoulder, he closed the ice box and turned, ready to bring his snack back to his cabin. Fate, however, had a different plan for the clumsy blond. Corazon felt his foot trip on one of the ship's loose floorboards and, as if in slow motion, he watched in horror as his precious meal flew out of his hands and towards the floor. The bowl shattered, leaving small shards of glass in the direction Corazon was falling. His hands caught him from landing face first into the mess, but the glass left cuts in their wake.

"What's going on in here?" an angry female voice rasped. Giolla's heels clicked against the wood and she placed her hands on her robe-covered hips. "Corazon, were you trying to snitch food for yourself? For shame! And with my room right next door too! You know, you could have woken up Dellinger with all that noise!"

The officer paid no attention to her lecture, as he hung his head in defeat. Noodles littered the ground and were now speckled with a bit of his blood. "Don't expect me to clean up after you, Corazon! You need to fix your own mistakes!" the middle aged woman scolded.

"Fufufu, just like old times, isn't it Corazon?" Both of the pirates jumped and turned their attention to the doorway, where an amused Doflamingo watched over them like a pink-feathered hawk. "I never could leave you alone for more than two seconds. Although, your 'grace' makes it fairly easy to track you down." His elder brother knelt beside him, noticing the blood below his kin. "Are you hurt?"

Sitting up, Corazon examined his hands. The cuts weren't deep and the glass had stayed out of the open wounds. He looked up at Doflamingo and shook his head, but the other blond grabbed his wrists and checked for himself. "Doesn't seem too bad, especially for you. Why don't you take one of the dinner rolls from last night and head back to your room, before you wake up the rest of the ship?"

"But Young Master! What about this mess?" Giolla protested.

Doflamingo smirked. "Hm, thank you for reminding me, Giolla. Since you're already here, would you mind cleaning this up while I make sure my clumsy little brother returns to his cabin safely?"

"But I- he should…" she heaved a sigh. "Yes Young Master. I'll get right on it." Her glare returned to Corazon as he stood with the help of Doflamingo. "But don't think that this is okay Corazon! I don't want to hear you sneaking food ever again, you understand?"

The words made him freeze and stare at Giolla with awe. Slowly, a wicked grin spread over his cheeks, making the woman swallow nervously. In the short time he had been with the other pirates, Corazon hadn't shown any sign of emotion, preferring to keep to himself. To her, he was the complete opposite of their captain, but his wild smirk was eerily similar. He gave her a short wave before waltzing out into the hallway.

The following day passed by uneventful, with the exception of Giolla's suspicious glances in his direction. She knew he was up to something, but Corazon was confident that tonight he could get the better of her. Once the sun went down and the rest of the crew had retired for the night, he made his way back to the kitchen. This time, however, he had a secret weapon.

"Calm," he whispered, running a hand through his hair. His footsteps vanished and the sound of his puffs became extinct. The expected squeal from the kitchen door's rusty hinge never came, allowing Corazon to inspect the trap before him.

Giolla had tied various tripwires around the room which were connected to strands of bells hidden on the ceiling rafters. She had anticipated him returning and was ready to catch him in the act. Unfortunately for her, she was unaware of his Nagi Nagi no Mi powers. Despite all his trips and falls from the wires, the bells made no effort to rat him out. The room filled with light from the refrigerator and Corazon licked his lips in excitement. On the second shelf was the last slice of Giolla's chocolate cream pie, still decorated with whipped cream and a single cherry. With a silent chuckle, the man devoured the dessert, leaving only his dishes behind as evidence.

"WHO ATE MY PIE?!"

As Corazon joined the crew for breakfast, Giolla was clutching Buffalo and Machvise by the collars of their shirts. "Someone snuck in here last night and ate my pie! I was saving that last piece for me, so which one of you bozos ate it?"

"I swear I didn't eat it, dasuyan!"

"I didn't either, iin!"

"Stop lying!" the artist screeched. Her eyes narrowed upon Corazon's arrival and she let out a huff. "You should feel lucky, Corazon. If it weren't for your clumsiness, I would have suspected you had something to do with this. I didn't hear any of my traps go off, so it had to have been someone else."

For the rest of the meal, Corazon ate with the smallest, most innocent smiles he could muster.


	5. Day 5 Donxiquote Brothers

He stood atop the hill, the sunrise beginning to peak over the ocean's edge. Hues of pink and purple danced across the oddly shaped figurehead of the ship bobbing along the shore, highlighting the sunglasses carved into the flamingo. Rocinante rubbed his palms on his plain white jeans in a feeble attempt to remove the sweat building up on them. It had been fourteen years since he had seen his older brother and their last encounter hadn't gone well, to say the least. The marine reminded himself that this was about seeing his mission through; that his nerves weren't about seeing the only remaining relative he had left.

He slowly approached the ship. From the deck above, a man with spiky blue hair peered over the railing, having heard Rocinante's footsteps stirring the rocks of the beach. "Y-Young Master?" the man stuttered. "What on earth are you doing over there?" His head whipped back and forth between the blond and the door leading below deck. "Weren't you just speaking with Senor Pink a moment ago?"

Before Rocinante could respond, a door slammed open and a deep, calm voice spoke up. "Gladius, what's all this noise about? You're disturbing Doffy's meeting."

"So the Young Master is on the ship still? Then who is that?"

The moment the newcomer gazed down, Rocinante felt his throat clench in fear. Black hair styled into a bowl cut created shadows over his sunglasses and he had a piece of pastry stuck to his face. Even after all this time, Rocinante could still recognize him as one of the four that had assisted his brother with murder. 'Come on Roci! You're a Marine now! There's no reason to be afraid of him!' He tried to speak up, but his voice refused to cooperate with him.

"Well…this certainly is a surprise."

"Vergo-san, do you know this man?"

"I do. Lower a rope down for him to board. I will bring him to Doffy myself." Vergo stepped back, giving his crewmate plenty of room to throw the rope over the side of the ship.

Rocinante scaled up with some difficulty, feeling his hands shake harder the closer he came to the top. He let out a short, quiet sigh of relief as his feet touched the wooden floor. For once his clumsiness hadn't gotten the better of him. A rough tug on his sleeve caught his attention. Vergo nodded toward the door he had come from and began leading Rocinante down the stairs, where conversation could be heard. The two entered a hallway connected to numerous rooms and passageways and the pirate dragged him to a room at the very end of the first corridor. A metal plate was bolted onto the door that read "Captain".

Vergo knocked lightly, stopping the voices inside. "Come in," one called. Rocinante's heart leapt. That had to have been Doffy. "Ah, Vergo. Did you find out what Gladius…" His brother's eyes widened and the papers he had been holding scattered to the ground. Time stood still as Doflamingo rose from his seat. "Roci?" he whispered. The man, whose face usually bore a confident smirk, was absolutely shocked. He stepped closer, hesitantly reaching out to touch the mess of blond hair he remembered so clearly.

"It is you. Where have you been all these years?" When the younger one didn't respond, Doflamingo gripped his shoulder with his free hand. "Roci, what the hell happened? Say something, damn it!"

Tears pricked the corners of Rocinante's brown eyes and he touched his throat gently. For a moment, the commander forgot about his mission. His precious older brother was before him again. He wasn't alone anymore. He only hoped that Doffy could still understand his silent cues as he had when they were young children. His emotions were too chaotic to allow him the pleasure of verbal communication.

The iron hold on his shoulder loosened and the captain's furrowed brow eased. Without glancing over his shoulder, he addressed a suited man behind him. "Senor, our meeting is over for the time being. You're dismissed. Vergo, make sure the family knows not to disturb us. I want some time alone with Roci." A pink feathered arm wrapped around Rocinante and he was brought to a desk sitting in the corner. "Sit down. You look beat."

A soft click echoed, signaling the leave of Doffy's underlings. "They're gone," his brother started. "Do you feel up to speaking or do you need a moment?" Roci shook his head, his fingers still grazing his throat. Doflamingo didn't force him. Instead, he sat on the bed across from him, using his intertwined fingers to rest his chin on. "We looked for you, you know. After everything that happened… I got worried. You were never one to fight back when the villagers struck you, so I thought you were on the road somewhere, beaten to a bloody pulp." To Rocinante's surprise, Doffy removed his sunglasses, blue orbs misty. "Roci, is that why you won't talk to me? Are you mad because I couldn't find you? No, that's not like you. You're too kind to be angry. Knowing you, you were probably scared, crying like you used to do when you wanted me to protect you."

With a soft chuckle, Doflamingo reached over and wiped the cuff of his sleeve against Rocinante's cheek, catching the tears that had started to fall. "Some things never change, I guess." Against his better judgement, Roci leaned into his brother's touch, letting himself enjoy the mild affection. "Are you staying?" Doffy asked softly.

'Am I?' the younger wondered. He was supposed to be watching his brother's movements, so in a way he would, but they were still on opposite sides. He'd still have to bring a stop to Doffy's plans, which would mean betraying him in the end. Rocinante met the elder's intense gaze. He nodded.

Doflamingo's nervous scowl flipped into an ear-to-ear grin and he ruffled Roci's hair. "This is perfect! Vergo will be leaving on an important mission in a couple of weeks and I needed someone to fill his position as the Executive of the Heart Seat. Who better to stand by my side than my own little brother!" With a new wave of enthusiasm, he stood, pulling Roci up with him. "Come on. You'll need to meet the rest of the family, especially Trebol, Diamante, and Pica." He paused momentarily, looking around the cabin in deep thought. Spotting what he had been searching for, he snatched the notepad and pen from his nightstand and held them out. "You can use this to talk to them. I'm sure they'll have plenty of questions." With a blissful sigh, he turned to leave.

"Welcome back, brother."

 **(A.N. Sorry for the delay, everyone. I was having trouble writing this. Doffy's such a complicated character that it was hard to tell when I was writing him "in character" and when he was OOC. Hopefully I succeeded in making him believable!)**


	6. Day 6 Cora-san and Law

"Sure is busy today. Wonder why…" Corazon weaved his way through the packed street, curiously noting the ribbons and colorful banners that hung from each shop. Above the paved concrete, strings of lights dangled from trees, giving the market a lively glow to contrast the quickly fading sunlight. "A festival maybe?" he mused. It would explain why no one had glanced twice at the makeup painted on his face. He probably looked like a clown, picking up groceries before he entertained the town's children. Little did they know that there was only one child he was concerned about at the moment.

The blond tripped as his thoughts drifted to the raven-haired boy he had left at camp. Law's condition had worsened severely a few days ago, draining all of the energy out of his small body. His fever had only decreased slightly in that time and he had to rely on Corazon to do most things now, though he insisted on trying to maintain some of his independence. "Someone's got to keep you from catching fire, Cora-san!" he'd argued.

 _Cora-san._ The former pirate couldn't help but smile at the thought of the nickname. His crewmates, particularly the two brats of the group, had called him by that plenty of times, but when Law used it, it felt special. The name, to Corazon, acted as proof that Law was warming up to him and that he was finally starting to heal from the trauma of White Town.

Once back at the seaside cave he and Law had docked at for the night, Corazon found the boy wrapped in a blanket, looking at one of the large maps they had brought. "What're you up to Law?" Corazon asked with a smile.

"I'm trying to figure out what our course is going to be. Now that we know what island we're heading to, we should plan ahead."

Setting his bag of supplies down, the man sat next to his charge and carefully took the paper from Law's tiny hands. "We'll be sailing southwest from here and I thought if we travelled along this current, we'd be able to restock supplies from these two port towns." His finger traced the path as he explained. "What do you think?"

Law placed a finger to his chin, thinking long and hard about the suggested route. "Is there a reason why we can't go straight south from the cape on this island? It looks like it'd be quicker, so we would only have to restock once, probably around this village." For several minutes, Corazon listened to Law's various ideas, amused at how intent he was on anticipating every little detail of the trip.

A loud crackle from outside caused both to look toward the sky. Small blue sparks rained down over the ocean, illuminating the night. Soon, several more sizzles released their dazzling displays for all to see. "Cora-san…what was that?" The whisper could barely be heard over the celebratory pops.

"The village is having a festival tonight. They're kicking it off with fireworks. Have you ever seen them before, Law?" He had assumed that Flevance, with its abundance of wealth, had held a fair share of parties, but perhaps they never used fireworks before. After all, the marine recalled his first experience with them had been when Sengoku brought him to a nearby Navy base's anniversary bash. "They're really pretty, aren't they?"

Instead of agreeing, a whimper breezed past the boy's pale lips. Glancing down, Corazon felt his heart race with anxiety. Law remained completely still, his grey eyes glued to the flames above and his mouth wide open. He looked horrified rather than awestruck. Suddenly, he pressed his back against the stone wall and shook his head violently. "Law! What's the matter? Do you feel sick again? Tell me what to do!"

 _Pop!_

"AGH!" Law's scream startled Corazon and he watched helplessly as his boy curled up into a tight ball. He had no idea what was going through the twelve-year old's mind and therefore had no way to know what he needed.

"Law, please-"

Three more explosions rattled the cave. "No! Stop it! Stop shooting at us!" Law cried. "Leave us alone!"

'Oh shit…' Realization crashed into the blond like a brick to the face. The fireworks were scaring him. What was seen as harmless fun to Corazon was like a slap to the face for someone who'd gone through all Law had. With a snap and a quickly muttered "Silent.", a bubble formed around them, cancelling out the noise from outside. All that could be heard were the muffled sobs and sniffles from the young child. "Law…"

Law stared up at Corazon, appearing more vulnerable than he'd ever seemed before. "C-Cora-san?" He tackled his friend, clinging to the heart-themed shirt as if Corazon would disappear if he let go. "They killed them! Mom and Dad! Lammy and Sister! All of my classmates! They took them away!" Warm tears dampened the pink material, but Corazon couldn't care less. His long arms cradled Law against his chest, rocking him soothingly. Black feathers acted as a curtain from the cruel world beyond the camp.

He let Law cry into him, feeling it would be wrong to interrupt. As the wails dissipated and the boy calmed down somewhat, Corazon whispered into his ear. "You've been through so much, more than any other kid should have to go through, but I swear to you that this is where it turns around for you, Law. Once we get the Ope Ope no Mi, you'll be cured and we can go wherever you want. Nothing will be able to hold you back from life's joys." He rested his cheek on the fuzzy hat. "I promise."

 **(A.N. I'm so sorry! Forgive me for bringing this short, feels-train of a story to you! We're in the final stretch now, so buckle up! Let's end Corazon Week with a bang!)**


	7. Day 7 Heart Love Smile

Corazon groaned and ran a hand through his blond locks. He was flat on his back, trying to focus on what had just happened. The last thing he could remember was facing his brother, both pointing pistols at the other's head, and struggling to stay conscious so his powers would allow- "LAW!" Corazon bolted up and off the floor, frantically looking for the raven-haired boy. All he could see, though, was black space filled with floating red hearts. "Is this supposed to be some kind of messed up version of heaven?" he asked aloud.

"Not necessarily. It's more like a void," a mysterious familiar voice answered.

Spinning around, Corazon nearly fainted at what was in front of him. A tall, blond man with brown eyes and makeup watched him curiously. He was the spitting image of Corazon himself, right down to the red cap and black feather coat he wore, and when he spoke, his smooth tones matched the former's. "You look awfully startled. Anything I can do to help?"

Corazon took a few deep breaths. He had to keep his priorities straight. "I have several questions," he started, "but first, have you seen my friend? He's got black hair, a furry hat with spots, and always looks grumpy. His name is Law and I'm worried about him. He's only a kid."

The duplicate smiled widely and nodded. "I haven't seen him, but he's fine. He escaped Doflamingo and is on his way to doing great things. You should be proud."

"Thank goodness." Relief washed over him, easing his mind. In its place crept utter confusion. "Well, I have several more questions. What is this place? You said it was some kind of void, but for what purpose? Am I really dead? And who are you? Why do you look like me?"

"That…is a lot of questions. I'll try to explain the best I can, so bear with me." The Cora-look-alike took a deep breath. "This void is a place where people from different planes can interact with one another. You see, I'm what you'd call a muse. I don't actually exist as a physical being. Rather, I act as a representative for my creator, an individual by the alias 'RocinanteHeart'. They wanted me to meet you here so that they and their friends could deliver you a message. As to if you're dead, that's not up for me to say. Only fate can make that call."

Corazon's mind raced. How could any of this be possible? Planes, muses…it sounded like something out of a fairytale, but it didn't compare to the idea he might actually be dead. Did this mean he'd never see Law again?

"What are you thinking about?" The muse sounded concerned, yet he gave the marine his space.

"Thinking about my boy," he admitted. "I really hate leaving him behind like this. I guess I should be grateful that he's free, especially if what you say is true and he's able to live his life without pain. It would have been nice though to spend more time with him, to make some lasting impression for him to remember me by."

The muse, who Corazon had decided to call 'Roci', didn't reply right away. His expression was pensive for a long while before he held out a hand. "May I show you something, Cora-san?" Feeling Corazon's palm against his, Roci led him through the darkness, motioning to the floating heart bubbles. "Watch these."

To Corazon's amazement, images began to appear inside of them. All around him were pictures, most of them hand-drawn, of him and his parents. Most showcased his mother, her gentle eyes smiling down at him. A few of the bubbles contained words, telling tales of his time with them. "What…what is all this?"

"Shh, just enjoy the show for now. We have several waves that we need to pass through."

As if on cue, they walked out of the cluster and into the empty air, only to be greeted by another cloud of heart displays. This time, memories of his life with the Navy drifted along. Corazon could practically hear Garp's boisterous laughter and Sengoku's dry complaints as he watched paintings and stories dance around him.

The third wave surrounded him in a storm of "Elite Officer Corazon" figures. Compared to the previous group, he couldn't help but chuckle at how silly his makeup made him seem, although some of the reflections appeared almost more intimidating.

"Halfway there," Roci notified his guest.

The chuckle Corazon had given morphed into full-fledged laughter as the next swarm approached. His Devil Fruit was being highlighted and several of the works showcased the mischief he could cause with his silent powers. His desire to bombard the muse with questions had long faded.

A cold sweat, however, slowed him down as they reached the fifth wave. This one wasn't like the others. This one held a bittersweet aura around it. Doffy's brilliant grin decorated every heart; Corazon's own expressions varying, depending on the piece. Where had they gone wrong? The joy the brothers presented here could have been their reality.

"Cora-san?" He had stopped, too distracted to follow his double. "Cora-san, you should see the last one. I have a feeling it would make you much happier than this place." Reluctantly, the two stepped forward and into the final fray.

Corazon dropped Roci's hand, staring teary-eyed at the spectacle. Everything was Law, or more specifically, Law and Corazon. They were together and it felt right. The precious boy he had come to love was smiling before him, filling the man with a renewed sense of hope. Law had a bright future.

One heart brushed along Roci's fingertips. "How is it that you can't see how important you are to him?" he inquired. "You give up your whole world to let him thrive, but wonder if he'll remember you? Cora-san, you don't realize how much of an impact you've had on the world. So many people see you fondly. Your parents, Sengoku, Law, even Doflamingo love you dearly." He waved his hand in a gesture that told Corazon to follow.

The darkness evaporated and the room glowed white. Corazon's mouth fell open as countless faces beamed up at him. Each one was different from the last, differing in every aspect known to man. "These are your fans, Cora-san, and they all came here to tell you something." Roci joined the pack. "On three, everybody! One…two…three!"

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CORA-SAN! WE LOVE YOU!"

 **(A.N. There it is, guys! The finale to Corazon Week! While this entry might not be what you all expected, I hope you still enjoyed it. This ride hasn't just been about our favorite clumsy man. It's also been a massive achievement for us as a fandom. We banded together to make this happen and shout-outs must be given to the lovely RocinanteHeart for starting it all. Corazon Week has been an amazing journey and I've been introduced to many talented artists and writers because of it, so thank you from the bottom of my heart for creating such an awesome community project!)**


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